Camp near Corinth, Mississippi

Sunday evening, May 25^th, 1862

My Dear Wife:-

Yours of the 13^th and 15^th inst was received yesterday evening.  You may be sure that I was glad to hear that you had received mine of the 27^th, ult. and those of the 4^th and 5^th inst.  I was afraid that they had been stopped at Cairo, but afterall, it may be false about the mail being stopped there; if it be so, I know you will be very uneasy about me before you get my letters that I have been sending since then.

I wrote to John Foster two or three days ago and enclosed a note to you, and hired a man that was going up the Central Railroad to take it all and drop it at some of the offices along the line.  I did intend to send it by one of our men that had been discharged, but failed to send by him.  I hope however that you will soon get it, then you will not be expecting my letters if they do not come.

I am sorry that you and the children had the mumps at the same time, but I am glad that you are all getting along tolerably well with them.  I am sorry to hear that Sam Reed has his money stolen, for the soldiers money is hard earned.

Just this minute a man brought me a letter from your uncle Montgomery, dated 24^th, on board the steamer Sunshine, between Fort Henry and Hamburg.  He is now down at the river.  I may see him tomorrow.  He speaks of his visit to you and about seeing my letters to you.  He saw Henderson Jones at Batesville, Arkansas on the 27^th inst., he was well.

I hope that John M. Hamilton and Eldridge Jones will not try to join us till they get entirely well.

I am glad to hear that Lee’s brother escaped being pressed by the rebel army.  I am glad to know that at least a part of the Southern people are too independent to join in the work of destroying the Government.  I have not received the letter that you speak about Billy Marohl writing.  I shall look for it with considerable anxiety.  You wonder why Jacob Pool does not write to his father and say that they think he is killed.  I wonder if they have ever wrote to his company to enquire after him.  I have only saw him once since I have been here, but heard from him a few days ago.  He was well then.  I think I will take a tramp in a few days to see all my acquaintances.  Sergeant Breeze stayed all night with the 41^st night before last, but he did not know that John Boring was in that Regiment.  It is about twelve miles from here.

You enquire about the amount of clothes I have got and the way I wash them.  I have bought one hat, $1.87, one cap and cover, 63cts.  One uniform jacket, $5.84.  Two pair of pants at $4.00 each.  One blouse coat, $2.15.  Two shirts, $1.76. Two pairs of drawers, $1.00.  Two pair of socks, 52cts. One pair of boots, $3.33.  One overcoat, $9.75.  One blanket, $2.95.  The whole amounting to thirty seven dollars and eighty cents, so you see that I have overdrawn my allowance five dollars and thirty cents.  My overcoat you have.  My uniform jacket is entirely new.  I have only had it on two or three times, once when I had my picture taken at Cape Girardeau.  My boots are tolerably good yet.  They will last me to the end of the year.  My first pants are tolerably good yet, but I took a new pair a few days ago, so that I could have them if I needed them, when there is none to be had.  My blouse is about worn out, my drawers are both good.  My shirts are tolerable good, then I still have the white shirt I brought with me.  I have only worn it once or twice, I like the flannel shirts better.  One pair of the socks I have, I have never had on.  The suspenders that you sent me I have never used.  My blanket I sent home with my overcoat and a good bedtick.  You said nothing about receiving them.  I also sent the white blanket that I brought from home, did you get it?

You want to know how I wash my clothes.  I do it with soap, water and a little elbow grease.  How would you like to see me over the washtub?  I forgot to send my mittens and a few little things that I had intended to send to you.  You say that Barthollett Lee thinks the war cannot last long.  I am of the same opinion.  I do not see how they are to protract the war much longer, yet they may possibly hold out a great while yet.

I am sorry to hear of the mule being killed, it was such a nice gentle little thing, but there is no use grieving after it.

There has nothing transpired worthy of note since my letter to John Foster.  There was some very sharp skirmishing about that time.  Such skirmishes would be called heavy battles where there was less numbers present.  In fact it almost takes an army to stand picket guard here, then it takes about a Regt. ot two to make a scouting party.

I cannot tell anything about how long it will be till the battle of Corinth will be fought.  It may be only a few days, then again it may be weeks.  Let it come when it may, it will be a dreadful thing, there will be so many men on both sides. It seems to be the policy of our commands to work gradually around them and try to take the place without a useless sacrifice of human life.  It seems to be the intention of Beauregard to wait an attack from our forces.  The fight may commence at any time, there is no knowing when.  Should there be a fight and our Regt. be called into action, I will be with them.

My health keeps good, my weight today is 150 pounds.  Tilley is again in the hospital.  He seems to get along very poorly.  Foster Moon is tolerable well. The rest of the boys are all well.

Our morning report today shows, for duty, one Captain, one first Lieut., four sergeants, four corporals, one bugler, one furrier, and blacksmith, one saddler, 48 privates, six privates detailed on extra duty for which they get extra pay.  Sick one second Lieut., two noncommissioned officers, eight privates.  In arrest, one private, absent, twelve.  But since I have been writing the last three lines, Robert F. Young and Henry F. Stahl has returned, making for duty five corporals and two buglers, total enlisted men, eighty eight, three commissioned officers, making ninety one.

Our horses look tolerably well. Some of them are quite poor, others are tolerably fat.  Mine is about as fat as you ever saw him.  Robert Young tells me of his wife receiving a letter from you dated the 3^rd inst.  Hoping you are all well, I bid you good bye.

William A. Smith

Monday night—26^th May

Our company was called out on a scout quite early this morning and I went with them.  We went close to the Alabama line and our friends our there reported that there was quite a large force within a mile of us and we backed off, making  pretty good time for a few miles.  Some leaving their dinners like Jeff Thompson left his in Missouri.  There is now ten companies of our Regiment gone out there.  Should they find any rebels out there, there will be a fight.  If it proves to have been a false alarm, then it will be a good joke on the dinners.

Charlie Lee went to Hamburg today and saw your uncle Montgomery.  They will pass this way in a day or two.  The 21^st passed here this morning, but I was out and did not see them.  I would like to have seen them.  I would like very much to see Major Warren E. McMachen, Robert Easley and George F. Trynor and all the rest of the boys that I am acquainted with.  I may not see them at all even if we are in the same neighborhood.  I will try to see some of them in a few days, but I have a very poor chance to leave camp for more than a few hours at a time.  I think that Isaac Jones and Thomas and Montgomery will call on us as they pass, as we are only a hundred or two yards from the road.

My health is still good.  G.W. Haley is sick tonight.  I hope that you are all entirely well of the mumps by this time.

Good night,

William A. Smith

(note) the above letter was written with red ink in between the lines of the letter written on Sunday evening.  L.V.F.